Auburn football legend Cam Newton sent an empowering message to Caleb Williams ahead of the 2024 NFL draft: don't let the detractors have any power, be yourself, and let the world know that Gen Z is here to stay.
“Just be you,” Newton said during an appearance on the Club Shay Shay podcast with Shannon Sharpe (h/t On3). “We don’t need no more Cam Newtons. We don’t need no more Peyton Manning or Patrick Mahomes or Tom Brady. Need unique players being themselves And I got news for you. Gen Z is here, and Gen Z is here to stay. So, whatever you may think, that, ‘Oh that ain’t football dude got pink nails,’ but I guarantee you if he paint his nails pink, even dye his hair pink, if they win football games ain’t nobody gonna worry about that. Let’s keep the main thing the main thing. Don’t you worry about fashion.”
Newton seems to have taken a liking to Williams, with the USC quarterback eccentricities perhaps reminding the fellow former Heisman of his own. Certainly, Newton is higher on Williams than he is on a QB who decided not to declare for the 2024 NFL draft because he wouldn't go higher than the former Trojans star.
Auburn football legend Cam Newton unsure if Shedeur Sanders is a top-four picks
Newton isn't totally down on Sanders, believing he is a superior option under center for the Atlanta Falcons to their $180 million offseason investment, Kirk Cousins. With that said, Newton has declared that Shedeur may not even be worthy of a top-four pick in 2025.
It's not likely that there's anything personal there, though. Newton had Shedeur as a guest on his 4th and 1 podcast before; with the exchange producing fireworks between the Colorado QB and his former teammate, running back Kavosiey Smoke.
Shedeur on what colorado needs to take the next step
— Dalvin truth (@dalvinthetruth) February 10, 2024
“We didn’t have enough dogs “
Shedeur took control of standing up for teammates all of last season . Now we got some real dogs that won’t play any games 😂‼️ #skobuffs 🦬 pic.twitter.com/MH8YVS3zxG
Newton must just see more of Williams in himself than he does Shedeur. Understandable considering Shedeur's father, Deion Sanders, is one of the most celebrated men in football history, and Newton's father wasn't even allowed to attend his Heisman Award ceremony in 2010.